‘Smart cities’ index ranks cities on sustainability

Cities will soon be able to compare how green they are, with the launch of an index that ranks urban centres on their efforts to become ‘smart’.

The creators say their Smart Cities Index, first pioneered in Spain’s 44 largest cities, will help authorities and citizens get more engaged with low carbon plans.

Roberta Bigliani at IDC Energy Insights said: “Smart cities are emerging as holistic playgrounds for low-carbon economies. As the city microcosm provides more immediate opportunities for innovation, we devised the index to help cities take an active role in and to invest in their future.”